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On Sunday, January 8, President Biden visited El Paso, Texas in an attempt to get a clearer picture of the ongoing crisis at the southern border of the United States. Thousands of migrants have arrived at the US ports of entry there in recent weeks and shelters have been overwhelmed forcing many to sleep on the streets

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (JRS/USA) expresses its deep disappointment and opposition to today’s announcement that the Biden Administration will continue to expand Title 42 by excluding Nicaraguan, Cuban, and Haitian nationals from petitioning for asylum at US ports of entry.

“Jesuit Refugee Service/USA is extremely disappointed in yesterday’s decision by the Supreme Court to temporarily allow Title 42 to remain in place. Originally set for termination on December 21, the continuation of this harmful policy will only create greater chaos and confusion at the border, place migrants and asylum seekers in harms way, and significantly limit the ability of asylum seekers to petition for safety in the United States. We call on the Biden Administration to appeal this decision and continue to take steps to put in place a fair, equitable, and safe immigration system that allows asylum seekers to exercise their legal right for protection.”

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (JRS/USA) applauds Congress for passage of the FY23 Omnibus Appropriations package which will ensure that vital refugee assistance programs continue to be funded at a time of historic need. Today, more than 103 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes and new and protracted crises continue to cause instability throughout the world.

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA is deeply disappointed in the omission of the Afghan Adjustment Act from the FY23 omnibus appropriations package released today by the U.S. Senate and urges Congress to include this critical piece of legislation as an amendment during final deliberations.

As it stands now, the antiquated law known as Title 42, which has kept thousands from pursuing their credible claims of asylum, is set to end on Wednesday, December 21. Jesuit Refugee Service/USA (JRS/USA) urges the Biden Administration to dissolve Title 42 in a timely, safe manner and restore access to asylum across the southern border.

The Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) is happy to announce that Superior General Fr Arturo Sosa SJ has appointed Br Michael Schöpf SJ as the new JRS International Director. He succeeds Fr Thomas H. Smolich SJ, who has led JRS since October 2015.

On November 15, a Federal judge blocked Title 42 a pandemic-era policy that immediately expelled migrants and asylum seekers at the U.S. southern border. The Biden Administration has since requested a delay in implementation of the judge’s order until December 21.

Nominated by her peers, JRS/USA Director of Advocacy Giulia McPherson was selected by The Advocacy Association as one of their “Top 20 in 2022,” which recognizes twenty advocacy practitioners who have excelled in the practice of their profession during the past year.